Twangbanger
Grandmaster
- Oct 9, 2010
- 7,109
- 113
I've read it forwards and backwards, folks, but I can't find any reference to The Onion or Sacramento Bee. Apparently this is real:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/s...sedgntp&cvid=302574b9c5d746768ac1b25b2f1c141b
"...Seattle’s Link Light Rail is a freeloader’s paradise.
There are no turnstiles, so passengers are supposed to either buy a ticket or tap their pre-paid card. But so few riders are paying, fares are currently covering just 5% of the system’s operating costs, a fraction of the 40% mark Sound Transit set as a requirement..."
"...By one measurement, as many as a staggering 70% of all passengers are free riders. But even that is only an estimate as there is almost no fare enforcement. Sound Transit did away with fare enforcement officers after a study revealed people of color were disproportionately getting fined. Instead, the system now relies on fare ambassadors (Edit:). There are only a handful for the whole light rail system, so riders will rarely encounter them. They currently engage only 2% of all riders..."
"...Most of the Sound Transit Board members seem unfazed by the poor fare collection performance...Sound Transit collects money from virtually everyone in Pierce, Snohomish and King counties. Those who live inside the special taxing district have to pay extra property tax and a much higher fee for their car tabs. Depending on the Blue Book value of the car it can easily cost an extra $200-$300 each year to register. And everyone pays an additional 1.4% on their sales tax to fund Sound Transit."
Tax revenue keeps increasing as fare revenue keeps plunging..."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/s...sedgntp&cvid=302574b9c5d746768ac1b25b2f1c141b
"...Seattle’s Link Light Rail is a freeloader’s paradise.
There are no turnstiles, so passengers are supposed to either buy a ticket or tap their pre-paid card. But so few riders are paying, fares are currently covering just 5% of the system’s operating costs, a fraction of the 40% mark Sound Transit set as a requirement..."
"...By one measurement, as many as a staggering 70% of all passengers are free riders. But even that is only an estimate as there is almost no fare enforcement. Sound Transit did away with fare enforcement officers after a study revealed people of color were disproportionately getting fined. Instead, the system now relies on fare ambassadors (Edit:). There are only a handful for the whole light rail system, so riders will rarely encounter them. They currently engage only 2% of all riders..."
"...Most of the Sound Transit Board members seem unfazed by the poor fare collection performance...Sound Transit collects money from virtually everyone in Pierce, Snohomish and King counties. Those who live inside the special taxing district have to pay extra property tax and a much higher fee for their car tabs. Depending on the Blue Book value of the car it can easily cost an extra $200-$300 each year to register. And everyone pays an additional 1.4% on their sales tax to fund Sound Transit."
Tax revenue keeps increasing as fare revenue keeps plunging..."